Carnival
by StillNotKing42
Summary: Merlin is trapped in 'The Carnival,' a place for sorcerers, and other non-dangerous prisoners. Forced to perform night, after night, Merlin dreams of escape, but that dream is impossible with Uther in charge. One fateful day, Merlin meets Arthur, Uthers son. Destiny ensues, and they grow to be unlikely friends, and much more. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Merlin

Faster, and faster. Higher, and higher. I throw the balls in the air, and smoothly catch them. The children laugh with glee, their eyes sparkling. They don't know what goes on when the show is over, the horror that ensues when I am back in the cage that I call home.

Still, I smile back at them, praying that they never meet the same fate. I see Uther, and the smile quickly leaves my face, but Uther see's it and scowls at me. Uther doesn't like his 'pets' to enjoy anything about The Carnival. It's bad for business, people like to see other people suffering. It helps them forget their own miserable lives, if only for a while. I will pay greatly for that smile, later. I focus on my juggling, making sure not to miss any. But I keep an eye on Uther, making sure he moves on.

He doesn't. I am his favourite, and it's not a good thing. Being his favourite means he has more fun torturing you. And having to suffer his unwanted advances.

After I am done juggling, I'm done for the night. It's my last act. I retire to my cage, and hope to get some sleep. I lie on the bare floor, and I wait for Uther, and for my punishment. If I am lucky, I will only get a simple flogging. If not... Well, I don't want to think of that.

Then I hear footsteps.

Uther slowly slinks to the front of my cage. He smirks at my pathetic form lying on the filthy floor, pretending to sleep. "I'm so sorry, Merlin." He says, knowing im not actually sleeping. "Your punishment will have to wait until tomorrow, my son is here, and I have to show him around. I hope you understand." He says sweetly, but his smile says something else.

"Of course," I gulp, "Master."

He smirks one last time before he leaves.

That might be the worst part of The Carnival, having to call that man, that monster, 'Master.' It makes me sick, having another 'person' own me. And the fact that he has a son! Who would want that with him?! I can't imagine anyone wanting him as a father, I feel sorry for that poor boy.

#####

Sleep eludes me. I toss and turn about all night, plagued by nightmares. At dawn, I rise, and splash my face with cold water. The guard sees that I am awake, and unlocks my cell door. Same as every morning.

As I walk out of the tent that holds all the cages, I look at the people in them. A strong man, a few girls who can't be older than eight, who can twist their bodies into the oddest positions. The kind of people you would usually see at a carnival. I see my friend, Gwen, still sleeping. Gwen and I met the day of my imprisonment. Uther had me put in the stocks, to make a spectacle of me. Gwen was kind to me, and we have been friends ever since. There was a time when Gwen want to be more than friends, but she realized that we were best as friends.

Gwen did nothing wrong. Uther caught her father consorting with sorcerers, and had him killed. He brought Gwen to The Carnival as punishment for her father's actions. She isn't forced to perform like the rest of us, she is the maid to Uther's ward, Morgana.

As I leave the tent, I go to meet Gaius, The Carnival's physician. I have been under his care since the day I was brought here. I enjoy working with Gaius, he is like a father to me, and why he is under the employment of a man like Uther is a mystery to me.

Lost in thought, I don't see the man in front of me, and knock us both to the ground. I get up and offer him my hand. He gives me a hard look, with icy blue eyes, and gets up himself.

"Watch where you are!" He says sharply, but a smile is on his lips. I can't help but wonder what it would be like to feel those lips on mine, to feel that body writhing above me. I blush, wondering where those thoughts came from, I have never thought about a man that way before.

Before I can stammer out an apology, Uther appears behind me, and grabs my shoulder. I freeze, and he sneers at me. "Merlin!" He barks, "What are you doing?" When I say nothing, he laughs and says, "Slacking off, I see! Twenty lashes, bare back." I gulp, my eyes wide.

Before I can say anything, he notices the young man standing in front of me. "Ah, Arthur, I see you have met your new servant." He says, with a smile.

"What?!" The man, Arthur, and I say simultaneously. "Servant? Father, you can't be serious."

"'Father,' I think, "But that means..."

"Arthur, meet Merlin." He turns to me with a sneer, "Merlin, meet Arthur, my only son."

(Author Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! For those of you who read my other story "The Girl With Two Hearts" I am sorry, but I'm taking a break for a while. I just cannot seem to think of anything to write! Anyway, thank you, once again. Stay tuned for the next chapter shortly!)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Arthur

"Father! You can't be serious?! That clumsy fool is my new servant?!" I plead with my father, trying to make him see reason. But he is a very stubborn man.

"Arthur, my word is final." He says firmly. "Come on, I am having him flogged. That should be a good show!" He has a wicked gleam in his eye. "That will be a fitting punishment, for now. At least, until I give him my special treatment." I feel as though he is talking to himself, more than he is to me, so I don't answer back.

I cannot seem to get that man, that Merlin, out of my mind. When he fell on me, for a moment, I imagined what it would be like to have him on his back, writhing under me, begging for more. I quickly dismiss these thoughts, horrified with myself. I try to think of something else, anything else, but my thoughts keep going back to him.

Lost in thought, I do not realize that we have stopped walking, and nearly crash into my father. I see that a large crowd is gathered around a tall post. Then I notice a man tired to that post, Merlin. His shirt is off exposing the pale, scarred skin on his back, I realize that this is not the first time he has been flogged.

"He is very beautiful, despite the scars." I think, realization dawns, and a quick burst of anger floods my body. Uther is the one that cause those scars, he is the one that marred the otherwise perfect skin. Anger boiling, I try to calm myself, he could have deserved his beating. Somewhere inside of me, I this is not true, but I have to believe that it is. My father wouldn't inflict punishment without reason. Would he?

I know what I must do, I must harden my heart to this man. "After all, he is just a servant, its not like we will be friends, he must hate me." I think to myself, hoping that this isn't true, but needing it to be.

"Commence," my father says, with a bored tone. I am jerked out of my thoughts just in time to see the first lash land on Merlin's back.

Merlin

After my 'run in' with Arthur, I quickly continued on my way to Gaius' chambers, hoping Uther would forget about the beating I was promised. Twenty lashes, bare back! I shuddered, and hoped I would be lucky enough to get to Gaius without being stopped. I saw two guards approaching me, without thinking, I begin to run, but the guards caught me. I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head, and that was the last thing I knew.

#####

When I awoke, I was tied to a post, stripped down to only my trousers. A crowd is gathered around me, jeering with unfriendly looks on their faces. I discreetly tug on my bonds, desperate for escape, but they do not yield. Defeated, my legs gives out, and I let the ropes hold my weight, awaiting my punishment.

I hear Uther, give the command, and I pull myself up, hands tightening on the ropes. I try to steel my back against the pain, though I know it will not help. I promise myself that I will not cry out, that I will not show weakness, Uther preys on the weak.

The first lash snakes across my back, leaving fire in its wake. My back arches, and I have to bite my lip to keep from crying out. The second lash comes before I have a chance to brace myself again. The force is so hard that I am thrown against the post I am tired to. I hear a crack and I know one of my ribs has just broken. The third and fourth lashes are much the same, I try to pivot my body so I do not hit the post again.

I am lost in a blur of pain, but I have yet to cry out. On the tenth lash, tears are streaming down my face, and blood down my back. I hear the whip crack, but before the blow is delivered, I hear someone scream, "STOP!" I turn my head to see who it is, and I feel the lash bite my cheek. I cry out as agony wracks my body, tears fall onto my chest in bloody rivers.

I hear the sound of fighting behind me, but it seems a million miles away. I feel someone gingerly touch my shoulder, and I use the last of my strength to turn my head towards my savior. I see Arthur's face, then everything goes dark.

Arthur

As I see the first lash hit Merlin's back, it is almost more than I can bear. Lash after lash, I suffer in silence, wanting more than anything to rush to his side, and embrace him. "What is happening to you? wanting to embrace another man?" The voice in my head, that sounds very much like my father's voice, says in disgust. I ignore it, and continue watching Merlin, unable it tear my eyes away from the horror before me.

When I see Merlin's body heaving, and his face lined with tears, I react without thinking. "STOP!" I yell, surprising all the spectators, and myself. Merlin turns his face, and is struck on the cheek. He cries out, blood rushing from his face, he falls against the post, the pain too much for him. The man raises his whip again, but it never touches Merlin, it never will again. I rush towards the man and wrestle with whip from his hand. He is surprised, but quickly recovers, and run at me, rage visible in his eyes. I move at the last moment and use the handle of the whip to knock him out.

I quickly move to Merlin's side, gently touching his shoulder. He slowly turns his head, and I look into his blue eyes. His eyes close, and he goes limp. I untie him, and pick him up, carrying his limp form in my arms. My father looks at in disgust, hate clear in his eyes, everyone else looks on with shock, unsure of what to do, or say. Uther looks away, and smiles at the people, "Its seems my son has had too much to drink!" He laughs.

The others start to depart, nervous and unsure of what to do next. No one wants to be around my father when he is angry. I look away, and carry the smaller man to Gaius' chambers.

When I arrive, Gaius wastes no time, and begins to bandage Merlin as soon as we lay him down on the table. He is too preoccupied with Merlin to notice me, and I can tell I am only getting in the way. I start to slip out, when he turns to me and says, "Thank you," with obvious relief.

"For what?" I ask unable to help myself, "I only carried him here, I did nothing else."

He smiled a sad smile, "One of his ribs is broken, is he had stayed on that post, he could have punctured a lung. You might have saved his life, Arthur. He is like a son to me." he whispers, "I wouldn't know what to do if anything happened to him."

"I am not my father." I say, mostly to myself, Hoping that its true.

"No," Gaius agrees," You are kind." Before I can respond, he turns back to Merlin. I realize that I am being dismissed, and turn and walk out the door. I dread the talk I know I will have to have with my father.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_(A/N- graphic(ish) description of rape. Read at your own risk!)_

**Arthur**

The walk to Uther's "chambers" was long and painful. I went to speak to him about what I did, about how I saved Merlin. I recited my speech to myself, "Father," I would say, "I couldn't have a damaged servant, now could I?" I decided to put on the best 'I'm-a-spoiled-prat' voice that I could manage. I'll pretend to regret my actions, I'll act like I wished it never happened, and that I hope he can forgive my selfishness . "I'm not lying," I say aloud, trying to convince myself. "Its half true."

Just before I reach my father's apartments, I freeze in my tracks. When I last saw Merlin (3 days, 8 hours, and 20 minutes ago. Not that I'm counting), he was bloody and unconscious, now, he is bloody and very much awake. He is limping away from fathers apartment, looking dejected and ashamed. For a moment, I wonder why was with Uther, horrible things cross my mind, but I quickly push them away. My father wouldn't do _that_, would he?

I briefly consider calling out to Merlin, to ask him what he was doing with Father, but I don't. I'll just ask Father, he'll tell me what they were doing. I'm sure Merlin was just...cleaning... or trying to figure out when he starts work as my servant.

At the thought of Merlin working for me, images flash through my mind: Merlin, naked from the waist up, on his knees before, his mouth expertly sucking my cock. Another Image; Merlin, completely naked now, a thin sheen of sweat glistening on his pale chest, writhing under me, moaning my name...

"NO!" I think before my thoughts can get away from me, "I can't think about my _servant_ like that!" It takes me a moment to calm down before I enter Uther's apartments.

When I see him, he has a smug smile of his face, and a cigarette in his mouth. "Odd," I think, "I didn't know he smoked." When he sees me, his look of satisfaction is replaced with a look of rage.

Before I can begin my "I'm Sorry" speech, Uther shouts, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! Why would you rescue him?! What has that insolent man ever done for you?" Uther's face is dark red with rage, the veins in his neck bulging, if a looks could kill, I would have been dead moments ago.

"Father, I..." But he cuts me off. "No. I don't care what you were thinking. It's obvious that you weren't. I told everyone there that you were drunk, and that is the way it is going to stay, right?" I give a nod of affirmation. "Good, now, Merlin will began working for you the day after tomorrow, he is there to work. You will not be friends. You will not speak to him unless absolutely necessary. Do I make myself clear?"

Devastated I nod. Uther turns away from me, a clear sign that I am being dismissed. Slowly, I walk to my rooms. Think about everything Father said, and about how to defy him without getting caught, for Merlin's sake, not my own.

**Merlin**

I woke up three days after Arthur saved me, and was told to immediately report to Uther. I know what is going to happen to me, because it's happened before, and I'm sure it will happen many times after this. If I wasn't here, in this hellish place, I could use my magic to keep Uther away from me. But, sadly, I cannot. No one knows that I have magic, if they did, if Uther did, I would probably "disappear." The Carnival might be a place for non-violent criminals, and sorcerers, but that doesn't stop Uther. He believes that magic is the most vile thing to plague the earth. So, I just take whatever he does to me, and hope for an escape, or for death.

I approach Uther's apartment, and swiftly knock on the door, dread surging through my veins. He comes to the door, and smiles a cruel smile, taking my hand and leading me to his room. I become numb as he pushes my body into the wall, and presses himself onto me. His lips crush mine as his erection grinds into my thigh.

When I do not react, he pulls back and slaps me again and again. I try to keep the tears from welling in my eyes, but I cannot. He laughs at my pain, and hits me again, this time splitting my lip. He laps up the blood, and he takes off his pants, and pulls out his cock. I flinch, and he places his knee on my throat, while shoving his member into my mouth.

I choke, and gasp for breath to no avail. This goes on for what seems like an eternity, and then he stops. "Stop, please!" I beg, and he laughs. I try to hit him, to claw his face, to get him off me, but that only makes him angrier.

I feel a sharp pain in my jaw, and then everything goes black.

I wake up, naked and in pain. I look down to see my body covered in bruises, and blood. Quickly, I gather my clothes, and leave Uther's apartment. Tears stream down my face as I walk briskly back to my cage, praying to whoever will listen for sleep.

I see Gwen, and I know that she knows, shame goes through my body, but she says nothing. I arrive at my cage, and the guards let me in. They don't say anything, but they know what just happened they have seen me like this before. One of them leans towards me as he is shutting the door. A tall, dark man by the name of Lancelot. He whispers to me, "We will not let anyone disturb you." I nod in appreciation, and collapsing onto my cot, fall quickly asleep.

(_A/N- I'm back! Sorry that I suck at updating, I've been really busy! Which is not an excuse, I know. Hopefully, I'll AT LEAST update once a month. Again, very sorry! I love all of you, but I love the ones who review/favorite/follow my story even more!)_


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